coasts L1 Coastal Landscapes Flashcards
Backshore
the UPPER BEACH - berms, dry sand
The Littoral Zone
BOUNDARY between LAND and SEA - area from where the WAVES FIRST START TO INTERACT with the SEABED to the point of the VERY HIGHEST STORM TIDES
a DYNAMIC ZONE
Foreshore
the LOWER BEACH - also the “SWASH ZONE” where you swim at high tide
Nearshore
containing both the SURF ZONE and BREAKER ZONE - where people surf or boat or jetski
Offshore
wayyyy back in the sea where WIND TURBINES are
Rocky Cliffed Coastline
relief, geology, energy, wave type, examples
areas of HIGH RELIEF (few m- hundreds m)
RESISTANT GEOLOGY
HIGH ENERGY environment
EROSION is GREATER than DEPOSITION
DESTRUCTIVE WAVES
Lands End (Cornwall), Weymouth beach, Dover
Sandy Beach Coastline
relief, geology, energy, wave type, example
areas of LOW RELIEF, sand dunes and BEACHES
LESS RESISTANT GEOLOGY
LOW ENERGY
DEPOSITION is GREATER than EROSION
CONSTRUCTIVE WAVES
Skegness Beach
Estuarine Coastline
relief, where they form, energy, geology, example
areas of LOW RELIEF, salt marshes and ESTUARIES
form in RIVER MOUTHS
DEPOSITION is GREATER than EROSION
LOW ENERGY environment
usually areas of LESS RESISTANT GEOLOGY
Severn Beach (Bristol) (longest tidal range in the UK)
SHORT TERM factors impacting the Littoral Zone
Waves (height, frequency & power)
Tides
Storms (frequency)
Human Interaction (building, sediment extraction)
LONG TERM factors impacting the Littoral Zone
Climate Change (changes in storm/seasons length)
Sea Level Change
Dynamic Equilibrium
Natural balance bay beeee
(humans disrupt it :( good lord i cannot put a close bracket after that)
INPUTS (of dynamic equilibrium)
- Marine (waves, tides, storm surges)
- Atmospheric (weather/climate, climate change, solar energy)
- Land (rock type, structure, tectonic activity)
DISRUPTING THESE DISRUPTS THE REST
PROCESSES (of dynamic equilibrium)
- Weathering
- Mass Movement
- Transport
- Erosion
- Deposition
OUTPUTS (of dynamic equilibrium)
- Erosional Landforms
- Depositional Landforms
- Coast Types
Coastal Classification Features
Primary vs Secondary
Primary: dominated by LAND BASED PROCESSES
Secondary: dominated by MARINE EROSION and DEPOSITION PROCESSES
Coastal Classification Features
Emergent vs Submergent
Emergent: COAST is RISING relative to the sea level
Submergent: areas flooding by RISING SEA LEVELS / SUBSIDING LAND
Coastal Classification Features
Tidal Range;
Microtidal, Mesotidal, Macrotidal
Microtidal: 0-2m (Mediterranean Coast - Dalmatian Coastline)
Mesotidal: 2-4m
Macrotidal: 4m+ (Skegness Beach, River Severn Estuary)
Coastal Classification Features
Low Energy vs High Energy
LOW energy:
SHELTERED coasts with LIMITED FETCH and LOW WINDSPEEDS
HIGH energy:
EXPOSED coasts facing PREVAILING WINDS with a LONG FETCH
Fetch
The distance ocean waves have travelled and been created by the wind
Valetin Classification of Coasts 1952
Measures if a coast is growing or retreating
what are the four classifications of Valetin’s
- Emerging
- Submerging
- Eroding
- Outbuilding (depostion)
What is the example of an Eroding Coast (Valetin)
Holderness
What is the example of an Emerging Coast (Valetin)
North West Scotland (rising by 1mm a year)
What is the example of an Outbuilding Coast (Valetin)
Severn Estuary
OR
Nile Delta (+5m a year)
What is the example of a Submerging Coast (Valetin
South East of the UK (sinking by 1mm per year)
Where has the worlds largest waves?
Portugal (Nazare)
